Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asian countries are urged to utilize a trade portal to enhance market access and internationalization as they embrace digital transformation to survive the pandemic.
The newly-launched Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Access, https://aseanaccess.com/, serves as a “one-stop shop” for ASEAN SMEs who look to do business within the region beyond their country borders.
Reinhold Elges, country director of GIZ Thailand and Malaysia, said that while SMEs represent for around 90 percent of all businesses in ASEAN and contribute 60 to 90 percent of overall employment depending on the country, their total export volumes and revenues account for only 10 to 30 percent.
“This shows that internationalization of these SMEs remains relatively low in the region. In other words, there is great potential for increasing international integration,” he said at the virtual ceremony.
Elges said the portal hopes to provide an information platform that helps ASEAN SMEs to increase their participation in the global value chain, the export numbers, and their contribution to sustainable and inclusive growth in the region.
“ASEAN Access can also help businesses from outside the region to enter ASEAN markets. It is increasing connectivity in the region and globally,” he added.
Elges said SMEs are crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) thus, the German government focuses on SMEs promotion both at home and in international cooperation.
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a German international development agency which supported the development of the ASEAN Access project. Thailand’s Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP) initiated its development.
YBhg. Dato Suriani binti Dato’ Ahmad, chair of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs, said the launch of ASEAN Access is imperative given the prevailing use of internet and online platforms amid the pandemic.
Ahmad said the portal is a medium milestone of SME development in the region, as well as SME contribution to increasing information on regional and global market access and opportunities for these firms thus, giving added economic value to the ASEAN community.
FDr. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty DSLJ Haji Abd Rahma, chair of ASEAN Business Advisory Council, said enhancing market access will empower ASEAN businesses to expand internationally thus, it is crucial for businesses and support providers to have the access to connect within the region and beyond.
The portal aims to serve as a tool for SMEs and also larger businesses to access better information and services efficiently and effectively, and for businesses and service providers providing internationalization support to SMEs to access new customer bases while aiming to fulfill the aims as set by ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development (SAP SMED) 2025.
To help companies get into new markets, ASEAN SMEs can secure help from the ASEAN focal points comprising national SME support agencies, market information, and the ASEAN sector briefs with categorized search functions.
In the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. serve as National Focal Points.
Associate Professor Dr. Veerapong Malai, director-general of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion in Thailand, said it offers free online courses for entrepreneurs and a platform for matchmaking even targeting industries which are strategically important for ASEAN.
“Matchmaking, bringing together business from different countries and allowing them to meet for continued cooperation, partner, and exploit business opportunity,” he said. “Our goals for aseanaccess.com is to strengthen intra-regional trade between the ASEAN region.”
Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community, said the ASEAN presents “abundant opportunities” being one of the fastest growing regions in the world in the last five years with a combined population of 655 million.
Singh said intra-ASEAN trade accounted for 22.5 percent of total merchandise trade in the region in 2019, implying that the ASEAN member states have “good levels of interdependency with one another in terms of trade”.
“Therefore it is of utmost importance that ASEAN truly help businesses regardless of the size to be totally aware and understand, and appreciate and utilize the trade-related information and the business opportunities in ASEAN,” he said.
“For me, the ASEAN Access is truly a much welcome addition to the intra-ASEAN trade ecosystem, delivering us what I call the last mile delivery by connecting businesses to critical and useful trade information, business connection on one single portal,” he added.
The ASEAN Access, with the tagline “Your Business Information Gateway to ASEAN and Beyond”, is a rebrand of the ASEAN SME web portal.
Source: PHILEXPORT News and Feature
June 21, 2021
June 21, 2021
